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Cornmeal Chicken Pepper Soup

Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano, seeded and quartered
  • 1 garlic clove, quartered
  • 1 4 ounce can hatch green chiles
  • 1 small yellow onion, quartered
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and quarted
  • 2 red bell peppers, seeded
  • 1 14 ounce can unsalted diced tomatoes
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • 2/3 cup cornmeal
  • 3 cups roasted chicken, shredded and chopped (see notes for recipe)
  • cilantro, chopped, for topping
  • plain yogurt, sour cream or spicy lime sour cream (see notes for recipe), for topping
  • lime wedges, for topping

Instructions

  • Place the olive oil in a large pan and bring to medium-high heat.
  • Meanwhile, in a food processor puree the jalapeno (or serrano), garlic, green chiles, onion, green bell pepper and 1 quartered red bell pepper. Add the pureed vegetables to the heated oil and cook for 10 minutes.
  • While the vegetables cook, seed and dice the remaining red bell pepper. Add the diced bell pepper, pureed vegetables, tomatoes, salt, oregano, cumin, chili powder and bay leaf to the pan. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the chicken stock to the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Slowly whisk the cornmeal into the soup, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Whisk the soup until the soup is smooth and there are no cornmeal clumps. Simmer on low for 30 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent the cornmeal from sticking to the bottom of the pan. With 5 minutes remaining, place the shredded chicken into the soup and heat through.
  • Top with cilantro, sour cream and spritz of fresh lime juice. Serve warm.

Notes

The addition of cornmeal makes this soup heartier than your average soup. While this soup may appear to be spicy, it has only a low heat element. This soup is a perfect make-ahead meal because it reheats nicely. If you prefer a meatless soup, omit the chicken and top with a runny egg. Feel free to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time.
Click here for roasted chicken recipe.
Click here for spicy lime sour cream.